The Chicago Tribune
Priests with spouses?
By Charlie Madigan
Tribune senior correspondent
Published April 5, 2005, 5:55 AM CDT
CHICAGO -- There aren't enough Roman Catholic priests.
Should the next pope change course to attack that problem?
Should women be priests? Should priests be allowed to marry?
My answer would be yes, but then, my answer doesn't matter. Not in the least.
I'm not among the priest bashers. I am clearly aware of the problems the church has had throughout its sexual abuse crisis. I am also aware that some of the best people I have ever known have been priests, along with ex-priests and wanna-be priests who just couldn't face the challenges of celibacy.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-gleaner,1,1375290.story?coll=chi-news-hed
Activist jailed in baseball blackmail case
By Maura Kelly Lannan
The Associated Press
Published April 5, 2005, 3:14 PM CDT
A federal judge revoked the bond Tuesday of a self-styled community activist charged with trying to blackmail New York Yankees slugger Gary Sheffield and his wife with a purported sex video.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-050405blackmail,1,87376.story?coll=chi-news-hed
U.S. to Tighten Border Controls by 2008
By DAVID RUNK
Associated Press Writer
Published April 6, 2005, 3:01 AM CDT
DETROIT -- Flashing your driver's license when returning from jaunts to Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean won't be enough in a few years after federal officials announced plans to tighten re-entry rules.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-travel,1,586741.story?coll=chi-news-hed
Ukrainian president, Chicago-born first lady visit Chicago
By Michael Tarm
The Associated Press
Published April 5, 2005, 1:28 PM CDT
Ukraine's new president and his Chicago-born wife met with current and future business leaders Tuesday, assuring them that they are serious about attacking corruption and attracting commerce.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-050405ukraine,1,4548361.story?coll=chi-news-hed
The Jerusalem Post
Sharon considers Nitzanim plan
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Gaza settlers have bypassed the Disengagement Authority as they explore a plan to move many of the 1,700 families slated for evacuation to the beachfront area of Nitzanim between Ashkelon and Ashdod.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1112581160840
Environmentalists oppose Nitzanim plan
The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel objects to developing any part of the open space area between Ashdod and Ashkelon west of the Tel Aviv-Ashkelon highway, a senior official said on Tuesday.
The official, Ra'anan Burel, said the SPNI is opposed to construction not only in the roughly 20,000 dunams of virgin sandy soil which includes public beaches, a nature reserve, and a natural forest, but also the agricultural land that separates the sandy area from Highway 4, linking Tel Aviv and Ashkelon.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1112668201141
Hizbullah cell cracked in Nablus
Three Palestinians suspected of being recruited by Hizbullah to compile intelligence on the deployment of IDF troops and the locations of IDF bases, and surveil the movements of an Israeli VIP who was to be targeted for attack, were arrested in a combined operation carried out by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and IDF in Nablus on February 25.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1112668202832
US, Israel search for common ground
Israel and the US are drafting a statement on settlement construction that will come out of next week's meeting between US President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The statement is vague enough for both sides to live with, a senior diplomatic official said Tuesday.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1112668202734
Exposing Orthodox conversion myths
The hysterical reaction of Orthodox spokesmen to the decision of the High Court concerning conversion was to be expected. Anything that impinges upon the Orthodox monopoly in Israel is seen by them as a dire threat. Nevertheless would it have been asking too much to expect that they would register indignation and protest without resorting to exaggeration and falsification of the facts?
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1112754015703
Keeping his identity in focus
'For me, coming to Israel is an axiom, not a question," states world-famous violinist and conductor Itzhak Perlman, here this week for a series of concerts in his honor with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
"Bringing top musicians here is tough work," continues Perlman, during a break in rehearsals. "So I'm here to help. When I'm here there's one less guest musician to care about."
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1112754015972
The World According to Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart US stores Sales up in March
Posted online: Monday, April 04, 2005 at 0048 hours IST
CHICAGO, APRIL 3: Wal-Mart Stores Inc said on Saturday that March sales at US stores rose an estimated 4.2% or slightly above the 4.1% increase recorded in February. Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, said food sales were stronger than general merchandise and the south-east was the strongest performing region in the most recent week ended Friday.
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=86957
Wal-Mart issue awaiting Hillsborough board
By TODD MORRISON
Union Leader Correspondent
HILLSBOROUGH — Planners will hold their first public meeting on the proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter a month after the last session ended early in frustration.
This time, a preliminary economic impact study that may support or diminish fears the retail giant will hurt local businesses will be unveiled at the meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Hillsborough-Deering Middle School gymnasium. An update on traffic proposals will also be addressed.
http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=52860
About 50 groups join to take on Wal-Mart
Diverse coalition to launch coordinated effort to change the way retailer operates.
By Steven Greenhouse
The New York Times
April 3, 2005
Led by Wal-Mart's longtime foes in organized labor, a new coalition of about 50 groups -- including environmentalists, community organizations, state lawmakers and academics -- is planning the first coordinated assault to press the company to change the way it does business.
http://www.indystar.com/articles/1/234124-9481-010.html
Team Cat Daddy Wins Inaugural Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour Event in Fort Pierce, Earns $100,000
FORT PIERCE, Fla., April 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Team Cat Daddy headed byCaptain Danny Mathis of Gonzales, La., caught an impressive kingfish on daytwo weighing 56 pounds, 5 ounces to win the Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour eventpresented by Yamaha in Fort Pierce. A field of 107 teams competed for a shareof the $300,000 purse. Team Cat Daddy earned an unprecedented $100,000 cash inthe $1.7 million tour's inaugural event.
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/04-02-2005/0003309976&EDATE=
Wal-Mart's critics weigh in as retailer welcomes media
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
By Teresa F. Lindeman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s public relations blitz of 2005 enters a new phase today when the company hosts an unprecedented media event in its Arkansas hometown -- a gathering billed as a way for the world's largest retailer to tell its own story.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05095/482880.stm
Wal-Mart tops Fortune 500 list for 4th year
Retailer's sales still outpace even an Exxon growing fat off $50 oil. Profits are up almost everywhere, but all the hiring's going on overseas.
By The Associated Press
Wal-Mart retained the top spot in Fortune magazine's 2005 ranking of the 500 largest publicly traded U.S. companies, but soaring commodity prices led to big gains in revenues and profits for oil and metal producers.
http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/invest/extra/P113953.asp
THE 2005 FORTUNE 500
Wal-Mart's $288 Billion Meeting
It's the single most important business gathering in the world. But can Wal-Mart's legendary Saturday Morning Meeting take the controversial company to the next level?
By Brent Schlender
It's about 6:30 on a foggy Saturday morning in September, and Wal-Mart's prosaic "home office" in Bentonville, Ark., is hopping as it always does on Saturday mornings, 52 weeks a year.
http://www.fortune.com/fortune/fortune500/articles/0,15114,1044802,00.html
The Miami Herald
To get back to the U.S., pack a passport
The era of easy travel for U.S. citizens returning from Latin America and the Caribbean is over. Within months they will have to present passports -- instead of driver's licenses or birth certificates -- if they want to clear passport control.
BY ALFONSO CHARDY AND INA PAIVA CORDLE
achardy@herald.com
By year's end, the U.S. government will require Americans returning by air or sea from the Caribbean and Central and South America to carry U.S. passports -- a major change in travel procedures for citizens who for decades have been readmitted by merely flashing a driver's license or a birth certificate.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/11320401.htm
Rumsfeld slams Spain over sale of weapons
In an exclusive interview with The Herald, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld criticized Spain's sale of weapons to Venezuela, the toughest comments yet from the Bush administration about the sale.
By ANDRES OPPENHEIMER
aoppenheimer@herald.com
In a comment likely to further chill the already cool U.S.-Spanish relations, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Tuesday criticized Madrid's recent decision to sell military planes and boats to Venezuela's leftist President Hugo Chávez.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/11320427.htm
Coca crop figures raise questions over drug war
The Bush administration says that Plan Colombia is thwarting illegal drug producers -- despite a stall in coca crop eradications.
BY PABLO BACHELET AND STEVE DUDLEY
pbachelet@herald.com
WASHINGTON - The Bush administration quietly released the number on March 25 -- Good Friday. But it jolted Colombia watchers accustomed to a steady flow of positive data in the U.S. war on drugs.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/11320443.htm
Latin American pope could put focus on key issues such as poverty
Question: At least five Latin Americans have been named as possible candidates to succeed John Paul II as pope. What would a Latin American pope mean for the region -- home to half of the world's Roman Catholics?
Answer from Thomas Quigley, policy advisor on Latin American and Caribbean affairs at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: A Latin American pope could have an extraordinarily galvanizing effect on the life of the church in the region and, by extension, on the region itself. In terms of the internal life of the church itself, such a pope could instill new enthusiasm in the majority youth of the continent, as John Paul did with his immensely popular World Youth Days. While the large numbers of nominal Catholics each year moving into the ranks of the Pentecostal churches is not of the highest concern -- most are moving from nonobservance of any kind to a sometimes fervent religious practice -- a Latin pope would almost certainly advance the sluggish state of ecumenical relations throughout the area. But far more important, he could bring new force and life to the urgent campaign to wipe out the culture of corruption; he could press the unity and identity of Latin America as a counterforce in the face of a globalization in which the poor-rich gap continues to widen and Latin America falls ever farther behind; and could even bring a fresh and authentic attention to such problem areas as Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti and Colombia.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/11320446.htm
Ethics panel could get a power boost
The state Senate is considering giving the Florida Commission on Ethics more power to investigate ethical wrongdoing.
BY ERIKA BOLSTAD
ebolstad@herald.com
TALLAHASSEE - The Florida Commission on Ethics would have more power to launch investigations into ethical wrongdoing under a proposal passed Tuesday in a Senate committee.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/11320358.htm
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